Raji AbdullateefJoseph A OluyemiRaji Khalid OlatunjiAdeshina Ibrahim Olawale2024-04-172024-04-172017Raji, A., Mohmoh, M.D., Raji, K.O. & Adeshina, I.O. (2017): Local Government Reform and Rural Development as Perceived by the People of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. Journal of Health and Social Issues (JOHESI). 6(1); 114-120, Published by Department of Sociology, Faculty of the Social Sciences, Ekiti State University.1118-8537https://uilspace.unilorin.edu.ng/handle/123456789/11931Local government is seen as the third level of government by the local government reform' of 1976 in Nigeria, also backed by the 1999 constitution as amended It was given the power to act on its own and at its own discretion with minimal control from the state government. It was also saddled with the responsibility of developing the areas that are close to it. However, it has met with various problems and challenges that have hindered its effective performance. These challenges have been attributed to the overriding function of the state governments, lack of autonomy, corruption and embezzlement among others. It is based on this that the study set out the objectives which include examining whether local government autonomy can lead to rural development; and knowing whether people's full participation in the democratic process of choosing their local government leaders will lead to rural development. The study then achieved these objectives by using a two-stage sampling method to select 200 respondents from Ifelodun local government of Kwara state; Nigeria. Conclusion was made from the findings based on the results derived from the chi-square calculated with the aid of SPSS, that local governments have not been able to perform their functions adequately majorly due to lack of autonomy. The research work recommended based on these findings that local governments should be given full autonomy and adequately funded for them not to become puppets for state governments.enRural developmentLocal governmentReformArticle